


Harbinger

by maidofviolets



Series: Sorcerer [2]
Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Historical Fantasy, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-04
Updated: 2015-03-21
Packaged: 2018-03-10 13:22:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 8,978
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3291839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maidofviolets/pseuds/maidofviolets
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Snow covers the ground, frost creeps up the windows and silence lingers in the air. It's been a year, and Furihata is tired of waiting.</p><p>Sequel to Sorcerer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

_Dear Kouki,_

_I hope you’re doing well. I have arrived safely in Rakai and have taken up residence in a small, one-floor house on the outskirts. It’s not as secluded as the one in Seirida, but there aren’t many people around. The address is included on the back of this envelope, next to your own._

_I miss you a lot – how are you? I trust you haven’t been neglecting your books. I took a few with me, but I will have to build up a small collection again. Have you read “Hitlist” yet? I remember seeing it on your shelf, but you told me you hadn’t started it. Coincidentally there is a copy of it in this house, along with a couple of others. I will start reading it soon – maybe we can talk about it._

_Not much has happened on my end. The journey was uneventful; I managed to catch a carriage headed for Rakai so it didn’t take too long. The driver wasn’t very talkative. I slept most of the way, in fact. I hope you’ve been getting enough sleep without me there to soothe you. (Joking, of course.)_

_That’s enough from me. I hope to hear back from you soon._

_Love, Seijuurou._

 _\--_

 _~~A~~ Dear Akashi-kun, _

_It’s great to ~~here~~ hear from you! I’m glad you arrived safely. It’s been a couple of weeks and I’m still getting used to not having you around, but I’ve been pretty good. I’ve noted down your address so I don’t ~~loose~~ lose it._

_I managed to get a job last week! Getting jobs is harder for me than it is for Aomine because I don’t look very… capable, but I can get a few. Asking still makes me a little nervous although I’m a lot better at it than I used to be._

_Funny you should mention Hitlist – I just started it today. It’s like fate! Hehe. I’m enjoying it so far, I hope you’ll ~~en~~ like it too. Not sure who my favourite is yet. Maybe the main character. I think I forgot his name, haha... I think it began with C? Maybe I don’t like him enough yet…_

_It’s snowed again here! I had a snowball fight with Aomine-kun the other day. Momoi-san joined in by stuffing snow down the back of his jacket and he got really annoyed. She dodged all his snowballs, though. It was a really fun day, even if I got ~~rea~~ very cold. _

_There’s no rain so I’ve been getting good amounts of sleep at night. Also Akashi-kun, your jokes are terrible. It sounds like you’re just really bad at smooth-talking. But I do miss you a lot! I hope we get to see each other again soon._

_Love, Kouki._

_P.S. Sorry for the spelling errors/crossings out. I’m not that used to writing._

 _\--_

 _Dear Kouki,_

_I’m very glad you got my letter. I was slightly concerned about the security of sending things over long distances like this, but it appears that it works, even if it took a few days._

_I’m pleased to hear you’ve been keeping up with your work. Make sure not to overwork yourself though; don’t go looking for jobs every second of your day, and take breaks. If a job stresses you out, take a longer break. Nobody wants you to fall ill, even if you have good intentions._

_I will start “Hitlist” tonight, I hope I will enjoy it as much as you seem to. I would’ve started it earlier, however I’ve been a little busy with getting settled in. Now that I have free time I’ll be able to spend more hours on leisure._

_Daiki and Satsuki seem to be the same as always, I see. I’m glad you’re enjoying yourselves. There have been small flurries of snow here but not nearly enough to make snowballs with; I’ve seen the children in the area trying to scrape handfuls off the ground. It’s a little painful to watch but I suppose that’s just how the weather is down here – I don’t think thick snow is that common in Rakai, unfortunately for them._

_I was actually rather impressed with your letter – for someone who doesn’t write much at all you seem to have caught most of your errors. Your handwriting isn’t bad either, very easy to read. You’ll improve more as you write, so don’t worry about it. If you have any questions, you can ask me. I’m sure I will be able to help._

_I’m bad at jokes? Send me one, then. See if you can make me laugh._

_Love, Seijuurou._

 _\--_

 _Dear Akashi-kun,_

_Tell you a joke? Um, I dunno if it’ll be funny over a letter… so maybe when I next see you? Sorry! Hopefully it won’t be long._

_I’m definitely not stressed, haha. I appreciate you looking out for me though. I could probably handle work more frequently than it’s coming, actually. But we’re doing fine for money so I probably shouldn’t worry._

_I hope you’ll enjoy the book! Is Rakai nice? I’ve never been that far. Apparently it’s a lot busier than Seirida. I think I remember you mentioning how you and the ~~gr~~ others used to play in the snow when you were younger. Or am I imagining it? I don’t know. I know we did when we were that age, but it’s a bit weird to imagine you throwing snowballs. Was that rude? Sorry. I mean it in an affectionate way._

_It’s good to know I’m not that bad at writing letters. I was kinda worried about it but it looks like I didn’t need to be. Thank you for offering to help me though! I’ll definitely ask you if I’m stuck on anything. Your handwriting is really nice – really… flowy._

_Oh, and another thing – how is your eye? You had to leave Seirida before finishing the final spell because of the incident – are you still trying to finish it? I hope it’s okay for me to ask…_

_Love, Kouki._

 _\--_

 _Dear Kouki,_

_Don’t worry about the joke. I wasn’t entirely serious; you can tell me when we meet if you wish. It’ll give you plenty of time to think of one._

_Rakai is rather busy, as you said, even the outskirts. I preferred how it was in Seirida, plus I had you nearby, but I’m getting used to it. It would still be nice having some company which I’m familiar with, especially your company, so if you ever get the chance please do come._

_Interesting to know it would seem strange for me to throw snowballs. You’re not imagining it – I did mention the fact that we used to play in the snow back when we were in Teikoun. Well, most of us. I didn’t engage in it much. Tetsuya was rather good at it due to his lack of presence, which I’m sure you noticed when you met him (or didn’t notice, rather) and Daiki enjoyed it a lot. Others were too lazy._

_My eye is fine at the moment. I haven’t been practicing many spells recently. I think I’ll take a little break for a while; Seirida was somewhat stressful._

_Wishing you well,_

_Seijuurou._

 _

\--

\--

\--

_

_Hi, Akashi-kun! It’s really warm today. I’m sitting on my bed writing this letter with my sleeves rolled up. Got to expect this from July, I guess._

_Come to think of it, this is the first summer since we met, isn’t it? It’s a shame we couldn’t spend it together. Maybe next year? That would be fun. Sending letters is nice, but not nearly as good as talking to you in person. Maybe we’ll see each other soon! We should arrange something at some point. I keep seeing the messengers going in the direction of Rakai – maybe I should ask one of them if it’s easy to get there? Actually, they probably wouldn’t appreciate that…_

_Momoi-san’s in a good mood; she’s been singing around the house lately. I can hear her right now. She has a really good voice. I mean, you probably already know that, but still. Can you sing, Akashi-kun? I’m not that good at it – I mean, I’m not bad, but I’m just kind of average. It’s not something I do very often._

_I’ve been reading this book about the body recently. Put your palm on a hard surface, then curl your middle finger so it’s underneath the rest of your hand. Then, try to lift your ring finger. You can’t, right? That’s because the tendons in both those fingers are connected. There’s a lot of other stuff in this book too – too much to write here, but I find it really interesting. I wonder what tendons are made of? What IS everything made of? Maybe I should stop this train of thought before it gets too existential._

_Missing you,_

_Kouki._

 _\--_

 _Dear Kouki,_

_Apologies for not replying earlier; I’ve been rather busy. It’s already mid-August at the time of writing this. I’ll try to respond quicker next time; sorry to keep you waiting._

_It would be great to meet soon. Unfortunately I’ve been a little occupied, but I’ll think about it more when this business dies down a little. Getting to Rakai is a little tricky, mostly because of the river that separates it from Seirida, but I agree that I’d much rather see you in person rather than write you a letter. I wish I were able to see you every day. Sometime in the future this will be a reality; I will make sure of it._

_Come to think of it, I have seen more messengers coming and going lately, and not just ones from Seirida. This happens sometimes – I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about._

_Singing? I haven’t done much of it. The most I do is hum to myself, which isn’t a very good way to tell. But I do remember Satsuki had a very good voice, and Daiki was the opposite. He couldn’t sing if his life depended on it; it’s good that he doesn’t need to._

_I tried your hand fact – you’re right, I couldn’t lift my finger either. The body is interesting, isn’t it? I studied books about it a little when I was younger, but maybe I should pick it up again._

_I’m going to have to cut this letter short. I look forward to hearing from you._

_Love, Seijuurou._

 _

\--

\--

\--

_

_Hi Akashi-kun,_

_Are our letters getting intercepted? I keep having to send two at a time to get a reply… unless you’re busy, which I understand. I guess things haven’t really been calming down, have they? I’m not sure what’s going on, but I hope you get a break soon._

_It’s mid-September now – come to think of it, didn’t we meet around this time? I feel like I should do something to celebrate. Maybe I’ll go to the clearing. I go there occasionally – it’s a nice place to sit and think, especially in autumn when all the leaves are fading to orange and brown. It’s really pretty. I’d much rather have you there, though. I would come and see you but I don’t want to interrupt what you’re doing – plus going to Rakai is the furthest I’ve ever gone, let alone on my own! Maybe one day._

_I suppose you’re right about the messengers – maybe they’re just negotiating something. I’m a little curious, but it’s probably not that important._

_I don’t have much to say this time, but I really miss you. Like… really. It’s been especially strong recently, probably because of the time of year. Last year I spent this time with you, Akashi-kun. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did._

_Love you,_

_Kouki._

 _\--_

 _Dear Kouki,_

_I cannot apologise enough for being so late with my letters. They haven’t been intercepted – I’ve received them all, however being busy is not an excuse to leave it so long every time before replying to you. I’m very, very sorry and I hope you’ll forgive me._

_I can’t write for long, but I’ll try to respond to everything. It’s been a very warm autumn here, much warmer than in Seirida. I must say, I prefer cooler temperatures. The weather sounds nice there – I’d like to go back again someday._

_I’m missing you, too, even more than I have previously. If you do decide to come, I’ll welcome you even if I’m in the middle of something important. Whatever it may be, I miss you too much to turn you away. The time we had last year was brief but it was one of the happiest periods of my life._

_Missing you,_

_Seijuurou._

_P.S. Happy birthday._

 _

\--

\--

\--

_

_Hi Akashi-kun,_

_It’s been about a year since we started sending letters, isn’t it? I wish they were as frequent as they were back then, but this was bound to happen, I guess. I still haven’t given up on seeing you again, though! I know we will someday._

_I’ve been a little busy; I’ve had more jobs on my plate than usual since I’ve been trying to help as much as I can for the winter. I’ve also been helping Momoi-san with the storage. I was hired by someone earlier this week and he commented on my build – I’ve gotten stronger, apparently! That’s good to hear. I was worried my strength wasn’t improving much, but apparently I was wrong._

_How are you? Is it cold over there? Probably not as cold as it is here. I’m writing this letter curled up in a blanket, actually! It’s a really cold day – maybe it’ll even snow soon. The snow is later this year; it’s almost the end of November._

_I know you’re busy, but I hope you’re taking care of yourself! Make sure you eat and sleep enough. I don’t know what I would do if you fell ill._

_Wishing you well,_

_Kouki._

 _\--_

 _Dear Akashi-kun,_

_Are you alright? It’s been over a month since you last sent a letter. I’m not trying to rush you, of course! Just checking everything’s okay._

_Hmm, what’s happened recently… Aomine-kun’s window cracked. We don’t really know why, but it happened in the middle of the night and he slept with a freezing draft of air in his room until he woke up. It’s amazing he didn’t catch a cold. Momoi-san says it’s because he’s an idiot._

_Ah, it’s getting close to the 20th, isn’t it? Happy birthday, Akashi-kun! I hope you’ll spend it well. I wish I could send you something, but I’m not sure how to go about sending actual objects rather than just letters. Either way, I hope you have a great time._

_Sorry I don’t have much to say. I hope things calm down for you soon._

_Please reply!_

_Love, Kouki._

 _\--_

 _Dear Akashi-kun,_

_Happy new year. I wish I could spend it with you._

_…Wow, I really can’t think of much to write. It’s been cold, I guess? The snow’s pretty thick on the ground, but I haven’t really been in the mood to play in it. There haven’t been many jobs available either, so I’ve mostly been inside the house or walking the streets outside. Not gonna lie, it’s a little depressing. Hopefully things will get better._

_I hope things are alright on your end. I haven’t heard from you, but I hope you’re okay._

_Love, Kouki._

 _\--_

 _Dear Akashi-kun,_

_It’s early February now. It’s been almost three months since I received one of your letters._

_I’ll be honest – I’m really worried about you. At first I thought your letters may have been getting lost on the way here, but I’m starting to doubt you’d let that happen for as long as it has been._

_I just… please reply. Just a sentence would be fine. Hell, even a blank piece of paper. Just anything to let me know you’re okay._

_Love, Kouki._

_P.S. I really love you, Akashi-kun. Please be okay._

 _\--_


	2. Chapter One

Frost had taken a strong hold of the ground. It spread thickly over the grass and gravel and even snaked its way over to the walls of each house, creeping up the wooden slats and decorating them with an icy covering like a kind of cold parasite. There was barely any wind either, just the occasional chirp of a robin and the odd cracking sound from a tree branch weighed down by the snow – other than that, everything was perfectly still; plants frozen in place, grass covered in thick blankets of white. Everyone was indoors, huddled somewhere warm away from the cold, silent air.

Well, almost everyone. The silence was broken by the sound of a door creaking open and then shutting with a click, followed by a patter as the ice that had been disturbed by the movement tumbled to the ground. A young man pushed at the door, making sure it was closed properly before turning and walking down the path, his boots crunching as they sank into the snow.

He looked up at the sky and shivered. This winter had been colder than usual. It was mid-February, so hopefully it would start to warm up soon.

The boy breathed in the fresh air for a moment before quickening his pace towards his destination.

He didn’t turn towards the town – instead he veered right, towards the dark tree-trunks of the forest. Barely anyone went here during winter; they had no reason to. There was nothing to harvest, nothing to grow, and the wood was often too wet to use for the fire. It was too cold and dark, not to mention dangerous. Cold weather could weaken the trees and thus falling branches were a known hazard to people who dared to take a walk in the woods.

Nevertheless, he wasn’t scared. He hadn’t been scared of this route for a long time.

The young man reached the place he’d been aiming for in about twenty minutes – a large, open clearing, two fallen trees on either side (the one on the left being larger) and a small run-down house close to the back. The open space in the middle was covered in snow, snow which had frozen overnight and thus walking on it was like walking on ice. He kept to the side, moving around to the right before reaching a smooth spot on the smaller fallen tree.

Brushing aside the snow with a glove-covered hand, Furihata Kouki quietly sat down in his usual spot.

He scanned the clearing. It had been over a year since he’d been here with someone else. Overall, not much had changed – the trees still stood, the little pond round the back of the house was still there (completely frozen over, of course) and the house remained standing. Turning his head, Furihata studied it. The walls were definitely showing signs of wear and it was obvious no one lived there anymore. Ivy grew up the sides, even worming its way in through the top window which had been detached from its clasp and was now hanging open. Furihata had thought about going in to fix it multiple times, but the house was probably too unstable for that, especially the upper floor. Besides, going in would just drag up more memories. 

He wrapped his arms around himself and shivered. It was too cold to stay here for very long. Momoi would be concerned – she still worried over him, even though he was nineteen now.

After a few more minutes, Furihata stood up and began to make his way back home, even though a part of him ached to leave the clearing. It was nothing new; the feeling nagged at him every time he had to leave. He was used to it by now.

As he walked, his mind wandered. 

It had been three months since he’d heard anything from Akashi. Prior to this, none of his letters had gone unanswered for longer than three weeks, and they generally didn’t take more than five days maximum to travel between Seirida and Rakai. He didn’t even know exactly what Akashi had been busy with; every inquiry about it had been answered with something along the lines of “It’s to do with my current occupation.” Akashi had never said what his current occupation was, and Furihata had been hesitant to pry. 

He supposed he could send him another letter, but given the lack of response he’d gotten from the others Furihata doubted it would have much of an effect. Even Momoi had offered to write a letter to him recently, despite how uneasy she still seemed whenever Akashi was mentioned, though he’d told her his doubts about the idea. 

Had he taken up his spells again? Furihata felt his chest clench in worry. If Akashi had attempted a spell so powerful that it had put him out of action for three months…

When he reached the door, Momoi greeted him with a smile and a blanket.

“I’m glad you weren’t out for too long. It’s very cold outside.”

Furihata took off his coat and gratefully accepted the blanket from her, wrapping it around his shoulders and shivering. “Yeah…”

He peered past her into the kitchen, looking through the door with slight hope blossoming in his chest, but his heart sank as he saw there were no envelopes on the table. Momoi saw him looking and shook her head, her face apologetic. “I’m sorry. Nothing came while you were gone.”

With a shrug, Furihata turned towards the stairs and began to make his way up to his room. “It’s alright. I wasn’t expecting there to be anything.”

When he reached his room he stepped inside, shut the door, took off his shoes and immediately curled up on his bed, smothering his cold hands in the blanket. It was a little warmer in his room than downstairs but he would still need time to warm up after being out in the cold.

After some warmth had soaked into his joints, he rolled over and stared up at the ceiling. Maybe he would try sending another letter today. He’d need to go out and buy more paper though, and the stores may not be open in this weather due to lack of business. He could borrow some from Momoi, maybe, if she had any. Aomine probably didn’t, but he could still ask.

Going out again made him feel cold just thinking about it and Furihata pulled the blanket up higher around his shoulders. He could do it tomorrow. Maybe it would be a little warmer. Honestly, he felt powerless just laying here, but there wasn’t much else he could do from so far away other than send letters. 

Although his worry was far stronger, a small part of him was annoyed at Akashi. Just one word – one sign that he was okay would’ve been enough to settle Furihata’s concerns. But he hadn’t received anything. The last word he’d had from Akashi was an apology, along with with strong wishes for them to meet again. After that, nothing. 

_Empty words,_ a small part of his mind whispered.

Furihata willed it to shut up. Akashi wouldn’t write something like that without meaning it, which only made him more worried that nothing had followed.

He rolled over on his side and reached for one of the letters on his bedside table, flipping it over and scanning the page. Recognition flowed through him; this was the one where Akashi had talked about the time when a bird had flown in through his window in late spring. A smile came to Furihata’s lips as he read, but it was accompanied with a pang as he remembered how frequent their letters to each other had been until midsummer. 

_I wonder what happened._

As he read, Furihata’s eyes came to a stop at the last two lines. 

_“I hope we’ll be able to see each other again soon, whether it’s you coming to Rakai or me visiting you in Seirida._

_Love, Seijuurou.”_

He frowned.

_Rakai..._

A bolt of realisation hit him in the chest, and Furihata felt his heart rate speed up. 

Maybe from here in Seirida, he could only send letters. Communication through paper was the only thing they had connecting them.

But what if he went to see Akashi in person?

Furihata’s mouth went dry. Could he do it? It would take almost a week to get there – he’d probably have to get several carriages. They weren’t wealthy enough to afford a ride all the way there; he’d have to hitch-hike, which would probably take even longer.

But it wasn’t impossible.

His mind whirled. He’d entertained the idea for a while now, but only now was it starting to feel like something that could actually happen. Fumbling around in the blanket, the cold forgotten, Furihata scrambled out of bed and hurried downstairs. Maybe Momoi would know more about it.

He burst into the kitchen, where Momoi was putting a plate on the shelf. “Momoi-san!”

“Huh?!” She jumped and let out a shriek of alarm when the plate almost slipped from her fingers, but managed to keep hold of it. “Furihata-kun? Jeez, we can’t afford to lose any more plates!”

“Sorry,” he mumbled apologetically, before speaking up again. “How would you go about getting to another country?”

She stared at him in confusion for a few seconds, before realisation dawned on her. “Are you talking about Rakai?”

His heart beating loudly against his ribs, Furihata nodded. “Yes.”

Momoi stared at him for a moment before putting the plate back on the shelf and stepping down from the chair she had been standing on. “Hmm…” Her face turned thoughtful, then concerned. “You’d probably have to hitchhike all the way there. It would take a long time.” Furihata opened his mouth, about to tell her his idea, but the look on her face told him she already knew what he was considering. “You want to visit Akashi-kun in person, don’t you?”

He looked down. “…Yeah.”

Momoi sighed before taking a few steps back and sitting lightly in a chair by the table. Her face was thoughtful, considering. Furihata inwardly begged her not to forbid him from going.

“I’m not going to stop you, obviously; you’re nineteen now.” His shoulders sagged in relief, although she wasn’t done talking. “The advice I can give you is just very limited since I’ve never hitchhiked that far. I’ve gone between countries, but never as far as this.”

Blinking in confusion, Furihata sat down next to her. “Aren’t Seirida and Rakai neighbouring countries, though?”

She nodded. “They are, but we live on the opposite side of the country to the border. The country closest to us is Teikoun. Rakai is furthest, across the river leading to Shuukai Lake.”

“Shuukai…” Furihata pondered the word for a few seconds before realisation hit him. “Oh.”

He’d almost forgotten about Shuukai River and its sister lake. They’d been named after Shuutoka and Rakai in the days where the former had occupied Seirida’s current land, making the two the main countries surrounding the body of water. The lake was as large as a small country and the river took half a day to cross at best. There were bridges across it but they were far and few in between, plus the river had been known to burst its banks in more unstable places. Countries like Meikan were in especially bad condition to deal with it due to their lack of equipment and barriers. 

The giant river ran past the cluster of tiny states, the southern border of Seirida and even a portion of Teikoun, splitting off into many smaller segments like a giant spider. Furihata had never seen the behemoth himself, but he’d heard from people in the town that on most days you couldn’t even see the other side. 

“You’d have to find someone willing to take you across the river – by bridge or by boat. By boat is the most common route since there have been accidents on the bridges, but the majority of people charge you for it. It’s hard to hitchhike a ride across a river like that.” Her face brightened a little bit. “Not impossible, though! People have done it.”

Furihata nodded slowly, wondering with alarm if he would be able to cross. Maybe he could wait around in a nearby inn if he didn’t find anyone straight away. Or there could be common crossing points. “Okay. It’s impossible for us to pay for the whole trip, right?”

“Yes. You will need money but you’ll have to spend it on food and inns. Also, there’s the border of Rakai to worry about.”

His heart lurched. She was right; Rakai was a very strict country when it came to border control. Teikoun was also strict, but since the border covered so much land it was only strong in parts, therefore many people managed to sneak in from the outskirts (Momoi and Aomine being two of those people). Rakai on the other hand was bordered mostly by sea and Shuukai River, meaning that they could focus their control on the few parts which bordered countries. “What do I do?”

Momoi pursed her lips. “You’ll need some form of identification. Which you have, fortunately, since we’ve crossed borders before.” Furihata responded with another nod; the three of them all had passes which they’d used to cross into Seirida. “People will usher you into a queue. You will have to present your pass when you reach the people guarding the border. It may take a while, but it’s mandatory – ah, you’ll also need to state what you’re there for.”

“Should I just say holiday or leisure?”

She nodded. “Yes, that would work. It’s close enough. Just answer their other questions honestly and you’ll be fine.”

Furihata could vaguely remember what they were asked when they crossed from Touou into Teikoun – what they were going to do there, what they had with them, things like that. He could feel vague nerves dancing in his gut and let out a sigh, trying to calm them. “Got it.”

“Are you planning on going soon?” Momoi asked.

“Hopefully as soon as possible.”

“Alright. You’ll need money for the journey just in case hitchhiking doesn’t work, plus you’ll need it to get by in Rakai.” Momoi tapped her chin, looking thoughtful, when suddenly her expression turned uneasy. “Ah, one more thing.”

“Hm?”

Her eyes met his, and Furihata could detect the seriousness in them. “Just… be careful when hitchhiking, okay? Sometimes you get people who prey on inexperienced travellers by pretending to take them to where they want. Look at the signs as you travel – if you get into an area which doesn’t look like it leads to your destination, get off.” Momoi’s eyes darkened. “It doesn't happen all the time, but you can't be too careful.”

Furihata’s stomach clenched. “I will,” he promised her, resisting the urge to bite at his lip. 

Momoi looked like she was going to continue, but they were interrupted by a yawn – Aomine had stepped into the kitchen and was scratching the back of his head, his hair scruffy and his eyes tired. He appeared to have just woken up from a nap. “What’s goin’ on?”

While Momoi filled him in, Furihata began to plan his course of action. It would be good to find someone going to Rakai if he could, but who in the outskirts would be going that far? He’d probably end up taking several journeys. He would have to stay the night somewhere several times – the money he was taking would come in handy there, definitely, but he didn’t want to spend too much on that. Hopefully he’d reach Rakai within a week. 

It was the part after getting into the other country that bothered him. How would he even find Akashi?

“…hey. Furihata. Hey.”

Furihata started out of his daze. “Huh?”

Aomine had joined in the conversation. “How much money do you have?”

“Oh. Um.” He tried to add it up in his head. “I’m not really sure, actually.”

His brother nodded to the door. “Go get it, then.”

“If it’s not enough we can lend you something,” Momoi called as Furihata left the room and hurried up the stairs to his bedroom. He vaguely heard Aomine complaining about the “we” in that sentence and snickered to himself.

Once the money was sorted and Furihata was starting to sort his things (with Momoi’s help), a question crossed his mind. He placed a folded shirt into the wicker case and then paused, kneeling with his hands placed on the edge of the basket. “Momoi-san, can I as you something?”

She looked up from where she was placing food in bags. “Sure, what is it?”

“Why are you… why are you letting me go so easily?”

A light smile graced her expression. “Didn’t I tell you earlier? You’re nineteen now. That’s definitely old enough for you to make decisions. Plus, I’m only a year older – I know I’ve been acting as somewhat of a guardian, but I’m your sister, not your mother.” She tied the bag tightly with a string and placed it with the others. “Yet here you are, going to another country on your own. Furihata-kun, you’re a lot braver than you think.”

_Brave? Me?_

Furihata’s mouth hung open slightly as he tried to think of a response, but it stuck in his throat. Eventually he just lowered his head to the basket and carried on folding. “Th… thank you. For looking out for me, too.”

She laughed. “And thank you for being such a good brother!”

His lips stretched into a smile in response, and he began packing more enthusiastically.

***

Lying in bed that night, Furihata was finding it hard to sleep.

His mind was too active; he kept restlessly turning over and fidgeting, attempting to force himself to sleep by squeezing his eyes shut. They didn’t want to close at all and he ended up lying on his back and staring at the ceiling for several minutes at a time, just thinking and going over the plan for tomorrow in his head. If he screwed up, the whole journey could go wrong.

However, he wasn’t only kept awake by worry. The sight of the packed case next to his bed set his chest aflame – not just with nerves, but excitement too. Although the reason he was going away filled him with uneasiness more than anything else he couldn’t shake off the slight feeling of anticipation. It was his first time going away on his own, and so far at that! He would be lying if he said he wasn’t looking forward to it just a little bit.

Besides, when he reached his destination he might even be able to see Akashi again. It would take some time to find him, but they hadn’t seen each other for over a year. And within two weeks they could well be spending time together again.

Biting his lip in a sudden surge of excitement, Furihata pulled the covers to his chest and curled in on himself. Thinking about what lay at the end of his journey helped to turn his worry into happiness.

It was going to be a long night, but tomorrow would be even longer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case the geography is confusing anyone, here is a mappy thing. http://oi58.tinypic.com/24ou9a8.jpg If you're still confused you can just ask me, I don't bite!
> 
> I also drew what Akashi and Furihata look like in this AU, though the only main difference is their clothes: http://therealstickyapple.tumblr.com/post/106380487426/ive-been-meaning-to-draw-what-akashi-and-furihata
> 
> There were so many comments on the last chapter - thank you so much! I hope you guys will enjoy the future chapters!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter Two

“Make sure you speak to any drivers you encounter before actually climbing into a carriage. If they give you bad vibes, don’t get in, or get straight out if you’re already in. It’s not worth the risk, trust me.”

Furihata nodded firmly and Momoi continued. “Try not to stay in one place on the journey for more than two days. You’re trying to get there as soon as possible, so I’d advise you to use money if you really can’t get a free ride.”

Another nod.

“Remember – first find a driver to take you to the nearest intersection, then try and find someone who can take you a longer distance. Have you got your money?”

Aomine had been leaning on the banister and at this question he let out a weary sigh. “Satsuki, you’ve asked this three times already!”

“I’ve got it,” Furihata affirmed after a fourth check in his case, ignoring Aomine. Momoi smiled and nodded in satisfaction. “Good! And everything else?”

Furihata ran through a mental checklist – food, water, clothes, money, pass… “Yeah, I have everything.” He’d even taken a couple of Akashi’s letters, just in case he forgot the address or needed motivation along the way.

“Alright.” The smile on Momoi’s face turned soft. “Have a safe journey. And don’t forget to write!”

Furihata smiled back, swallowing a tiny lump in his throat. He didn’t know how long he was going to be away, but he would definitely come back. “I’ll write, I promise.”

They embraced, Momoi’s smaller form hugging him surprisingly tightly to her chest and loosening her grip momentarily to grab Aomine, who was keeping his distance from the display of affection. “You’re so cold, Dai-chan!”

“I wasn’t just going to leave,” Aomine scoffed, letting himself be dragged grudgingly into the hug. He wasn’t a very affectionate person – Furihata hadn’t been expecting much in the first place, so he was surprised when his brother placed a hand on his head as they separated. 

Aomine ruffled his hair slightly, looking at him directly in the eyes. “Careful, ‘kay?”

He nodded quickly, returning the eye contact. “I will be. Don’t worry!”

When Aomine removed his hand, Furihata lingered for a moment before slowly drifting towards the door, a part of him not wanting to leave just yet. Just a few more minutes – just a few more to prepare. It was going to be his first time alone for so long without his siblings, or anyone for that matter; he would meet people on the way there, but it was doubtful that they would spend much time together.

Fortunately for him, Momoi spoke. “Furihata-kun?”

He halted, relieved that his departure had been somewhat delayed. “Mhm?”

“When you find Akashi-kun…” She paused. “Make sure he’s okay.” A sad smile graced her lips. “If you think he needs help, don’t hesitate to confront him about it. He’s unlikely to tell you otherwise. Akashi-kun is just that kind of person.”

Furihata stared at her, wondering what she meant. Did she think Akashi might be in trouble? When Momoi had an inkling about something, she was usually right. 

Glancing at Aomine, he saw a strangely serious emotion reflected in the other’s eyes. His stomach twisted – they knew Akashi better than him, after all, having spent several years with him in the other country. A vague memory of his conversation with Aomine surfaced, concerning the oath; the one where they had sworn not to let any of the group die at the hands of a non-sorcerer. Did this have something to do with that?

His heart pounded. Were they relying on him?

Momoi seemed to sense the turmoil in his mind and quickly intervened. “Don’t overthink it! Just take care of him, that’s all.” Her face had brightened – she looked a little happier. “I think you of all people would be able to do that for him.”

Furihata’s heart thumped loudly in his chest. Momoi and Aomine had known about their relationship for a while – his sister had figured it out rather early, in fact. It had taken Aomine longer and he’d seemed rather surprised about it at first, but other than that no problems had surfaced. When they’d accepted it, it had felt like a giant weight had been lifted off his shoulders.

Sometimes Furihata felt like he needed to take a moment to just sit down and think about how great his siblings were.

Noting Momoi’s choice of the phrase “ _when_ you find Akashi-kun,” hope began to blossom in his chest and gave him new determination, new resolve. He was ready to leave.

“Momoi-san, Aomine-kun…” He swallowed. “Thank you. For everything, I mean.”

Momoi just laughed, while Aomine raised his eyebrows. “Don’t make it sound like you’re going forever. Make sure you come back in one piece.”

Furihata could hear a smile behind Aomine’s words – a smile reminiscent of the days when they were younger. "I will!”

After one last hug from Momoi, Furihata turned and stepped out of the front door. As he looked back over his shoulder and waved goodbye, he couldn’t shake the feeling that it would be a long, long time before he saw that door again.

***

_This route is strange,_ Furihata thought to himself as he walked along the frosted path, looking from side to side at his surroundings with his case clutched in his right hand.

Normally after leaving his house he would take the left path to go into town, or go straight on into the forest for either a walk or to visit the clearing (which were sometimes synonymous, he supposed). However, this time he’d taken the rare right turn, down a thin dirt path leading away from his town and the streets he’d come to know for these past two years.

Momoi had told him to just follow the path until he came to the first intersection, but needless to say it was a little nerve-wracking. Furihata found himself involuntarily biting his lip.

This path was a lot more open than the other two; it had no trees immediately on either side and when he looked around the main thing in his vision were fence-enclosed squares of farmland with the occasional patch of forest. After a while the ground to the right of him began to slope downwards and Furihata became aware that he was walking on a slight hill. He shivered as a breeze swept through his hair, feeling exposed; the cold was beginning to creep into his fingers and legs. Picking up his pace in an attempt to get warmer, Furihata stared straight ahead, hoping to spot the intersection soon.

Sure enough, within about five minutes he noticed another path cutting across the one he was currently on, leading to the right and left. The dirt path continued forward, but this was the place he would stop for now. Drawing right up to the crossing, Furihata set down his bag, seated himself on top of it and waited patiently.

This new road wasn’t makeshift, he noted – it was wider and made of stone. Clearly it was a route carriages and the like often used otherwise the effort wouldn’t have been made to pave it over. It couldn’t be long before someone arrived, right?

After a short while Furihata fished his watch out of his pocket. He’d left rather early, at about 11:00am, and it was around 11:45 now. He’d been walking for about thirty minutes so he must’ve been waiting for fifteen or so. Shivering, Furihata tightened his scarf around his neck; the cold was definitely getting to him now. He considered getting up and walking around a little to get warm again if a carriage didn’t come soon.

He waited and waited, wiggling his toes in his boots to try and keep them from getting too cold. The ground was still frosty, although the snow wasn’t as thick or as frozen in this area as it had been back at home.

 _Home._ Furihata almost wished he was back there in the warm instead of striking out on a long journey, but quickly shook the thought from his mind. If he let himself feel homesick now, it would only get worse later and he definitely didn’t want that to happen.

…Well, his home was only thirty minutes away. That gave him some form of comfort. If he suddenly had a change of heart in the next few minutes, he could always go back to his siblings.

The thought was beginning to seem more welcoming than ever, actually. He could retrace his steps back along the path, back to his home, knock on the door and be greeted with familiar faces. They would understand, he was sure. Maybe he could wait a little longer for Akashi’s letter and then try again another day. The idea of returning made the nerves in his stomach begin to unknot and he almost stood up and went back right then and there.

It was only the sound of wheels and hooves from further up the path that stopped him.

Instantly all thoughts of going home were replaced with thoughts of moving forward, closer to Rakai and Akashi. He mentally slapped himself. What had he been thinking? This was no time to be sentimental. He had decided to go on this journey and he was going to finish it, damnit.

Hearing the sound of the carriage getting closer, Furihata jumped up from his case and stood at the edge of the road, praying with all his heart that the driver would see him and stop. He spotted the carriage in the distance and felt the beating in his chest grow stronger and harsher as it neared, and his breathing gradually sped up. Furihata took a deep breath and tried to form his hand into some kind of form that would be recognisable as a hitchhiker’s gesture.

He didn’t exactly succeed and instead just managed to stick out his hand as the carriage neared, pointing vaguely at the road and waving his hand in various positions. _Nailed it._

The carriage didn’t slow down. For a heart-stopping moment he thought it was just going to drive right past, but to his utter relief it came to an abrupt stop next to him, though in the perfect position for the driver to look down and size him up.

He swallowed, remembering Momoi’s advice about shady drivers. This one in particular was wearing some kind of robe – it had a hood which hid most of his face from Furihata’s position and was joined around the chest area by a golden clip, after which it spread down to where the man was sitting and stopped around the bottom of his legs. Something nagged at the back of Furihata’s mind; the general setup of the outfit looked familiar. Was it a cape? He couldn’t really tell from this angle. What struck him the most was that the driver’s outfit was a strange golden colour, embroidered with white and dark orange in parts – and that every fastener which joined a piece of fabric to another was a shining, polished gold.

Furihata gulped. Somehow he couldn’t shake the feeling he’d stopped someone of a much higher status than him and hoped he wouldn’t get in trouble for it.

He stood still and watched as the man pulled off his hood. That was a good sign; he wasn’t trying to hide himself. As Furihata took in his features he was struck by how… well, good-looking he was, to put it bluntly. His eyes were narrow and defined and his face was a nice, smooth shape – not as nice as Akashi’s, but still pleasing to the eye. His pitch black hair fell in front of his eyes in thin locks and he looked down at Furihata with curious eyes. “Mm? A hitchhiker? That’s rare.”

 _Is it?_ Furihata wondered, suddenly worried he’d made a mistake. Was he meant to catch a ride from here after all?

“Cat got your tongue?” The man grinned. “Where’re you off to?”

Furihata finally managed to find his voice. “Uh, the nearest intersection…?”

“I can take you there. Hop on.”

He hesitated for a moment before deciding the guy seemed friendly enough and stepped into the carriage, sitting down awkwardly and settling onto the cushioned seat. It felt warmer in here than it did outside despite the lack of doors, plus the seats were a lot nicer than in a typical carriage. Furihata felt a little nervous; he hoped he hadn’t stumbled across someone rich.

Once he was seated, the carriage began to move again. Furihata realised he hadn’t said anything since he’d gotten in and quickly expressed his gratitude. “Ah, thank you!”

“No problem, no problem,” the man called from above. Furihata studied his robe through the gaps in the wood and wondered where he’d seen it before. 

It wasn’t long after that the man started making conversation. “So, what’s your name?”

Furihata hadn’t expected the drivers to be very talkative, but he answered anyway. “Kouki. Furihata Kouki.”

“Furihata, huh? Pretty ordinary.” His voice had a light-hearted tone to it which made Furihata certain that he wasn’t making a jab at his name. “I gotta say, I was surprised! We don’t normally get hitchhikers. Most of them leave us be.”

Confusion lingered in Furihata’s mind. “Wait, by “we” you mean…”

He was struck with alarm when the carriage suddenly came to a halt and the man looked back at him in surprise. “Wait, really?” He pointed at his robes, an incredulous look on his face. “You don’t recognise these colours?”

Racking his brains for any memories whatsoever and finding nothing, Furihata could only stare at him and give a small shake of his head. “No…?”

“How old are you?”

“Nineteen.”

“I guess you don’t travel that much, huh?” 

He shook his head. “This is my first time travelling alone, actually. Though…” Furihata studied the man’s robes. “I don’t know about the colours, but your outfit layout is kind of familiar. I think.”

“I see, I see.” The man’s shock had faded – with a crack of a whip the horses began moving again, continuing to pull the carriage down the slope. “I guess I shouldn’t keep you in the dark, then. My name’s Takao Kazunari. I’m one of the royal messengers of Shuutoka.”

Furihata choked. “Wh-what?!”

The man laughed. “Not quite what you were expecting?”

“I’m… I’m sorry! I didn’t realise!” Through Furihata’s embarrassment it suddenly came to him why Takao’s robes looked so familiar. They were very similar to the ones he’d seen Tsuchida wearing, and another person… Izuki, was it? Probably. He hadn’t talked to the other messenger much; he’d just seen him around.

Meeting a messenger for a different country felt completely different, however. He felt like he needed to watch what he said a lot more, despite how good-natured Takao seemed to be. “I’m not very familiar with the uniforms of other countries. I don’t travel much, like you said. Sorry…"

“It’s fine, it’s fine. It was just surprising, that’s all.” Takao turned his head slightly to give Furihata a quick grin before turning back to the road. “Though it does explain why you stopped me. Most people would recognise the carriage and my robes and step away.”

Furihata fidgeted in his chair, feeling sheepish. “Ah… I only know what the uniforms of Seirida, Touland and Teikoun look like. And now Shuutoka. None of the others, though.”

“Huh, it’s strange that you live in Seirida yet don’t know the Shuutokan uniform. Or Rakai’s, for that matter. They’re neighbours, after all.”

“I guess.” Furihata really needed to get out more. “I’ve only lived in Seirida for a couple of years, though. I used to live in Touland.”

“Aha, that explains how you know their uniform. We don’t have that much contact with Touland since it’s so far away. How is it there?”

“It’s… nice. They were going through some changes while I was there, but the people were fairly relaxed. Although the weather was kind of wet.” In the past Touland had been rather unstable and unknown, but it was slowly strengthening itself. “It’s a little cold, too, but the summers can be quite warm.” In an effort to carry on the conversation Furihata returned the question. “What’s it like in Shuutoka?”

“Hmm.” Takao tapped his foot on the front of the carriage. “It’s an old country, so there are a lot of ancient monuments and history and stuff. We also have trouble with newcomers sometimes, since they aren’t used to the strict laws. The police and army sure don’t slack off when enforcing them.” He let out a laugh. ”It’s not like you can’t have fun there, though.”

They talked a little more as the carriage trundled on. Takao was easy to talk to, Furihata found out – he was great at keeping conversation going despite Furihata’s inability to do so himself. Furihata was almost disappointed when the tell-tale signposts of the intersection came into view and Takao made a noise of recognition. “Oop, we’re here.”

Furihata quickly stood up once the carriage had stopped, picking up his case and stepping down onto the gravel. “Thank you for taking me here, Takao-kun!”

“It’s cool.” Takao gave him a half-smile. “Oh, I almost forgot – where did you say you were going again?”

“Ah, I didn’t say.” Furihata wondered whether to tell him, and then decided it couldn’t hurt. “I’m going to Rakai, actually. I was going to a bigger intersection first since there are more carriages there…”

He trailed off as Takao’s expression morphed into one of surprise “Rakai? Why’d you get off, then?”

“Huh?”

“I’m going to Shuutoka! I’ve been away on duty. The quickest way to Shuutoka is through Rakai. I could take you all the way there, if you want.”

Furihata stared at him incredulously. All the way? Had he had an amazing stroke of luck? Was the journey really going to be only one ride long?

“A-are you sure?” he questioned.

“Yeah, why not? I’ll have to drop you off before we cross the border otherwise people will ask questions, but I can take you to Shuukai River. We’re going the same way – might as well.”

“But… but the journey’s so long!”

“And?” Takao raised an eyebrow. “I don’t mind taking you all the way. You don’t seem like a bad guy.”

For a moment, Furihata was at a loss for words. When he finally regained control of his limbs he quickly bowed, his voice coming out louder than he’d intended. “Th-thank you very much!”

“No worries. Up you get.”

Furihata climbed happily up into the carriage, pushing away any feelings of guilt as Takao resumed the conversation. Maybe this journey wouldn’t be so bad after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Woo, new character! Takao is really fun to write, and he moves things along. 
> 
> I haven't touched this fic in a month or so, mostly to do with school stuff, but things have calmed down now and I should be able to get stuff going properly. Plus spring break is just around the corner, thank God.
> 
> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> It's been a little while, hasn't it? But here I am!
> 
> I said on Tumblr that I was going to post this in January, but some stuff came up and it ended up being in February instead. The first chapter isn't much but I hope you guys like it so far ^^
> 
> Harbinger will likely be a little shorter than Sorcerer - by how much I'm not sure yet. We shall see.
> 
> Thank you for reading!


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